MANSEHRA: The people affected by the Suki Kanari hydropower project on Wednesday took to the streets demanding market price for their land acquired by the district administration to execute the 840 megawatts initiative under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project.

“The district administration had signed an agreement with the families affected by this energy project for the payment of their land’s market price but it hasn’t made the payments even though our houses have been pulled down,” landowner Sadaqat Ali Shah told protesters in Shangria area of Kaghan valley on Wednesday. The Suki Kanari project is being executed on the Kunhar River.

Shouting slogans, the protesters warned that they would end protest only after the market price for their land was paid. Protester Imran Shah said the administration was driving landowners out of their houses.

“Our houses are being pulled down after the acquisition of land though we have yet to get the due payments,” he said.

He also criticised the administration for not fulfilling its promise of providing alternative land for the graveyards to be submerged by the Suki Kanari water reservoir. The protesters warned that if their demands were not met, they would block the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road for an indefinite period.

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2019